Organization Profile - Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Parliament of Canada Act, (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, s. 79.01)

79.01 Sections 79.1 to 79.5 provide for an independent and non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Officer to support Parliament by providing analysis, including analysis of macro-economic and fiscal policy, for the purposes of raising the quality of parliamentary debate and promoting greater budget transparency and accountability.

Parliament of Canada Act, (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, s. 79.1)

79.1 (1) The Governor in Council shall, by commission under the Great Seal, appoint a Parliamentary Budget Officer after consultation with the following persons and after approval of the appointment by resolution of the Senate and House of Commons:

1. the persons referred to in paragraphs 62(a) and (b) and the leader of every caucus and of every recognized group in the Senate; and
2. the leader of every recognized party in the House of Commons.

79.1 (1.1) The Parliamentary Budget Officer shall have demonstrated experience and expertise in federal or provincial budgeting.

79.1 (2) The Parliamentary Budget Officer holds office during good behaviour for a term  of seven years but may be removed for cause by the Governor in Council on address of the Senate and House of Commons.

(3) The Parliamentary Budget Officer may be reappointed for one or more terms of up to seven years each. However, the Parliamentary Budget Officer shall serve no more than 14 years in office in total.

(4) In the event of the absence or incapacity of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or if that office is vacant, the Governor in Council may appoint any person to hold that office in the interim for a term not exceeding six months, and that person shall, while holding office, be paid the remuneration and expenses that may be fixed by the Governor in Council.

Parliament of Canada Act, (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, s. 79.11)

79.11 (1) The Parliamentary Budget Officer has the rank of a deputy head of a department of the Government of Canada and has the control and management of the office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

Parliament of Canada Act, (R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, s. 79.1)

79.1 (5) The Parliamentary Budget Officer shall be paid the remuneration and expenses fixed by the Governor in Council.